Golf is a game of skill in which a set of specialized clubs is used to strike a golf ball, thereby guiding the ball around a golf course. A golf course is divided into segments, called "holes," and score is kept regarding the number of club strokes required to complete each hole. A chief goal of golf is the completion of a given course using the fewest number of strokes possible.
A variety of golf equipment has been designed to improve player performance. For example, golf clubs with different lengths, weights, and club head sizes have been developed to suit the swing and stance preferences of various players. Many golfers use specialized shoes to help maintain proper footing. Some golfers even wear clothing made from fibers engineered to wick away moisture, thereby keeping the player dry and cool.
However, while golf performance does depend upon the use of proper equipment, a player's choice of equipment is not the only factor that affects play. Players must also develop a critical set of skills to succeed at golf. One of the most important skills a golfer can develop is the ability to hit a golf ball with consistency. Once a player's game becomes consistent, the player may then isolate specific areas of performance which need improvement. Many devices exist to help a golfer improve consistency.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,716 discloses a diagnostic device that asists a golfer improve consistency by helping the golfer monitor golf club orientation. More specifically, the '716 device helps a golfer identify the exact three-dimensional orientation of a golf club face at the moment the ball is struck. The '716 device includes a calibrated grid provided on a golf ball and a marking surface disposed on golf club face. Striking the ball with the marking-surface-equipped club face will impart a mark on the ball within a specific location on the calibrated grid. The golfer may then correlate the marked spot with the flight of the ball. The '716 device also discloses a reader that helps an individual determine the true location of the imparted mark; an included chart provides analysis of the mark location. The '716 also includes an alignment scope to help orient the grid when the ball is placed on a tee. Although the '716 device may help some golfers, the wide array of components makes the '716 subject to user error and a degradation of accuracy produced by wear and tear over time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,511 is a portable device that uses centrifugal forces to identify the centerplane of a golf ball. The '511 patent helps a golfer improve consistency by allowing a golfer to account for variations that occur from golf ball to golf ball. The '511 device includes a cylindrical housing and motor-driven a motor-driven rotor dish. The rotor dish extends upward from a stabilizing dish mounted at the top of the device housing. During use, a golf ball is placed onto the rotor dish and a rigid cover is frictionally attached to the stabilizing dish. The included motor is activated, thereby spinning the rotor dish and the golf ball resting thereupon. As the rotor dish continues to spin, centrifugal forces acting on the ball cause the ball to assume a centerplane-identifying orientation. The centerplane location may be marked by a pencil or pen inserted through a slot in the rigid cover. Once the centerplane is marked, the motor is deactivated and the ball is removed. Although the '511 device may help identify the centerplane of a selected ball, the '511 may be difficult to use in some instances. The '511 device requires relative shifting between the ball and the remainder of the device. That is, the '511 device does not positively engage a ball to be marked. As a result, the '511 device may be difficult to use if power is not available to operate the spinning motor. Additionally, the '511 device may not be suitable for use with hollow "training" balls, the light weight of which will not produce sufficient friction between ball and rotor dish for proper operation.
Although known ball marking devices may help some golfers become more consistent, these devices are unsuitable in many situations. Thus, what is needed is a golf ball marking device that includes advantages of the known devices, while addressing the shortcomings they exhibit. The device should allow marking of a golf ball with diagnostic indicia, including a stripe or stripes, aligned with a great circle of the ball. The device should be securely attachable to, yet easily removed from, a selected golf ball. The device should positively engage golf balls of different diameters. The device should include provisions to automatically maintain a golf ball in a preferred orientation within the device. The device should also be lightweight and easily attached to a golf bag for remote use or to an anchoring member for security.